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Fact & Fiction and the Bookstore at the University of Montana offer a review of Michael Punke's Last Stand:
George Bird Grinnell, the Battle to Save the Buffalo, and the Birth of the New West.
The New West, a new quarterly magazine produced by the same folks who produce NewWest.net, hit the newsstands this week. The print magazine covers the economy, development and change in the Rocky Mountain West.
June 4-6: Natural Resources Law Center's Shifting Baselines & New Meridians — Water, Resources, Landscapes and the Transformation of the American West," at the University of Colorado at Boulder Law School. Read a preview.
Idaho ranchers, environmentalists testify on Owyhee Initiative
At a Senate hearing Tuesday on Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo's Owyhee Initiative, ranchers and conservationists praised the bill that would designate an 807-square-mile wilderness in southwest Idaho, while opening up other lands to recreation and grazing.
Idaho Statesman; 04/23/2008
Other states monitor latest effort to designate wilderness in Idaho
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo's Owyhee Initiative would designate 517,000 acres in Idaho's Owyhee County as federal wilderness, but it also removes some restrictions on other acres or selling them outright, which has drawn praise from some circles and criticism from others.
Christian Science Monitor; 04/23/2008
Utah lawmakers' Washington Co. wilderness bill gets Senate hearing
U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett said the fact that neither the environmentalists nor Washington County officials were happy with revised legislation that would designate 265,000 acres of the Utah county as wilderness and allow some federal lands to be sold for development suggests that the legislation is a good bill.
Salt Lake Tribune; 04/23/2008
Interior Dept., USFS need a makeover and here's how to do it
The proposal to move the U.S. Forest Service out of the Department of Agriculture and into the Department of Interior is once again bouncing around Washington, D.C., and this time the idea should stick, and then the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management should be reorganized into three focused agencies: the outdoor recreation service, the resource management service and the fire service.
NewWest.net; 04/25/2008
Idaho county begins process to repeal affordable-housing mandate
Citing a decision earlier this year by an Idaho district judge that found McCall's requirement that 20 percent of new housing be deed-restricted was unconstitutional and amounted to an illegal tax, the Blaine County Commission voted Thursday to initiate the process to repeal its ordinance passed in 2006 that requires all new developments contain 20 percent affordable housing.
Idaho Mountain Express (Sun Valley); 04/25/2008
More Arizona homeowners mail in their keys, walk away from loans
Homeowners who got into their Arizona homes with no money down at the peak of the market, and now owe much more than their home is worth, are mailing in their keys and walking away from their loans, deciding to live with the ding in their credit rating rather than living upside down on their mortgage for the next couple of decades.
Arizona Republic; 04/21/2008
Utah governor pledges to keep foreign n-waste out of state
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Wednesday that he will use the state's vote on a regional nuclear waste council to keep nuclear waste from Italy from being disposed of in Utah.
Salt Lake Tribune; 04/24/2008
Montana food banks benefit from Yellowstone's bison policy
Although they recognize that not everyone supports Montana's policy of sending bison that wander out of Yellowstone National Park to slaughter, the directors of food banks across the state said they did appreciate the estimated 600,000 pounds of meat the bison provided.
Billings Gazette; 04/25/2008
Idaho town sells first shares of stock for community-owned store
The organizers of a campaign to bring a community-owned clothing store to St. Anthony's will have to sell 1,000 shares of $500-per-share stock to fund the purchase of a downtown building in the Idaho town.
Twin Falls Times-News (Idaho Falls Post-Register); 04/25/2008
Tribes celebrate groundbreaking of Native American Center in Montana
The University of Montana hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking of the university's $12 million Native American Center on Saturday; construction is scheduled to begin this summer with completion slated for fall of 2009.
Missoulian; 04/21/2008
Utah Native American Chamber of Commerce opens today
Today in Salt Lake City, a kickoff celebration will be held for the Utah Native American Chamber of Commerce, a statewide organization designed to connect Native entrepreneurs and provide visibility of Native-owned businesses.
Indian Country Today; 04/21/2008
Joseph Kennedy plans wind-power project on Navajo Nation
Citizens Energy, a nonprofit headed by Joseph Kennedy, has teamed up with Dine Power Authority to build what will be the Navajo Nation's largest renewable-energy project. You may have to view an ad to read this article.
Albuquerque Journal (AP); 04/24/2008
Proposed federal rules could let coal-fired plants into parks' airsheds
The Environmental Protection Agency is forging ahead on changes to the Clean Air Act that air-quality standards in Class-1 areas, which provides 156 national parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges the toughest protection from air pollution, despite criticism from parks advocates, air-quality experts and the agency's own staff experts.
Christian Science Monitor; 04/24/2008
Montana first to test emissions for tiny-particle pollution
The Montana Board of Environmental Review is the first in the nation to require separate measurement and emissions control of tiny-particle matter known as PM 2.5.
Great Falls Tribune; 04/22/2008
Study: Greenhouse gas emissions increased sharply in 2007
A study conducted by scientists at the Boulder-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.6 percent in 2007, or 19 billion tons.
Denver Post; 04/24/2008
Beetle infestation turns B.C. forests into carbon emitters
Pine-bark beetles have infested 144,000 square miles of forests in British Columbia, leaving dead and dying trees that emit more carbon dioxide than the forests absorb, and turning climate calculations about forests' role in capturing carbon emissions on their head.
Christian Science Monitor; 04/24/2008
- Beetle-killed trees in Colorado could affect CO2 absorption
Trees on tens of thousands of acres of Colorado's forests have been killed by beetles, limiting forests' ability to absorb carbon dioxide and the dead trees also emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Grand Junction Sentinel; 04/24/2008
Grizzly bear study in Northwest Montana running out of funding
An injection of cash from the Flathead National Forest will keep grizzly-bear monitoring efforts in Northwest Montana going for another year, but after that the program is out of money, and on Thursday a committee of federal and state agency officials told members of the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly bear subcommittee it would take $586,000 annually to develop a monitoring program for the bears similar to that in place in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; 04/25/2008
Appeals Court affirms USFS immunity in Montana backfire ruling
A three-judge 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel affirmed a ruling issued last fall by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy that said the U.S. Forest Service's decision to light a backburn during firefighting operations in the 2000 catastrophic wildfire season was protected under the discretionary function exception of the federal Tort Claims Act.
Missoulian; 04/22/2008
N.M. governor wades into waterway protection effort
On Tuesday, Gov. Bill Richardson joined Santa-Fe-based WildForest Guardians in urging the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission to nominate 5,340 miles of the state's waters as Outstanding National Resource Waters under the Federal Clean Water Act.
Santa Fe New Mexican; 04/23/2008
Groups sue USFWS to extend lynx protections to New Mexico
Five groups have sued the Interior Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to get federal protection afforded Canada lynx in 14 states extended to the lynx in New Mexico. You may have to view an ad to read this article.
Albuquerque Journal (AP); 04/22/2008
B.C. premier to announce plans to protect lands as parks, wilderness
Premier Gordon Campbell will announce legislation that will create 66 new conservancies and 11 new parks in the Canadian province, adding 985,000 hectares or more than 2.4 million acres of land to the province's parks and protected acres system.
Vancouver Sun; 04/23/2008
Former Yellowstone ranger pushes for protection of mountain bison
Bob Jackson, a bison behavior expert, said bison on the Mirror Plateau in Yellowstone National Park are mountain bison, a faster, more elusive subspecies of the plains bison reintroduced into the park, and said that biologists in the park should do more to keep the subspecies viable.
Jackson Hole News & Guide; 04/24/2008
Dozens of earthquakes rumble through N. Nevada Thursday
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 4.2-magnitude earthquake about 4 miles northwest of Reno Thursday afternoon, the strongest of more than two dozen that rattled that area of Nevada.
Reno Gazette Journal; 04/25/2008
N.M. senators lead the charge to inject science into water debate
New Mexico Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici, along with Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Ken Salazar of Colorado, Maria Cantwell of Washington and Tim Johnson of South Dakota are co-sponsoring the SECURE -- Science and Engineering to Comprehensively Understand and Responsibly Enhance -- Water Act, a push to be applauded and one that all federal lawmakers should join.
Santa Fe New Mexican; 04/21/2008
Salazar-Udall bill will kill energy development on Colorado plateau
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management took seven years to develop its plan for energy development on Colorado's Roan Plateau, but legislation submitted last week by Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar and Reps. John Salazar and Mark Udall will stall such development and, in effect, kill any efforts to tap into the estimated 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas trapped under the plateau, energy that the nation needs.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; 04/22/2008
BLM needs to rethink its plan for Wyoming's Pinedale Anticline
If the U.S. Bureau of Land Management wants to follow through on its plan to allow thousands more natural-gas wells to be drilled on Wyoming's Pinedale Anticline, it must assess that proposal using the environmental analysis launched in 2006 that was prompted by nitrous oxide emissions that exceeded limits set by its 2000 record of decision.
Casper Star-Tribune; 04/22/2008
Idaho counties need time to prove themselves on wolf management
The decision of a county prosecutor in eastern Idaho not to file criminal charges against a landowner that reportedly pursued a wolf for a mile before killing it is debatable, but one such incident does not require the appointment of a special prosecutor to handle wolf cases.
Idaho Statesman; 04/23/2008
Adopting mercury limits for waterways a no-brainer for Idaho
The Idaho Board of Environmental Quality should adopt the proposal of the Idaho Conservation League to establish mercury regulations for the state's waterways when the board meets today.
Idaho Mountain Express (Sun Valley); 04/25/2008
Congressional budget officer details costs of cap-and-trade program
Peter Orszag, director of the Congressional Budget Office, testified before the Senate Finance Committee that the cap-and-trade legislation sponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and John Warner, R-Va., would raise the price of gasoline by 25 cents a gallon, but Montana Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the committee, said not addressing greenhouse gas emissions could have a much higher, long-term cost.
Casper Star-Tribune; 04/25/2008
Presidential candidates agree on climate change
There hasn't been much discussion about the environment between Sens. John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as they travel the country campaigning for president because they share many of the same views on climate change, clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and all oppose drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Contains a graphic comparing the candidates' stance on a number of issues.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer; 04/23/2008
Hundreds of EPA scientists report politics interfered with work
Of the 1,586 Environmental Protection Agency scientists who responded to a survey of the Union of Concerned Scientists, 889 reported that they had experienced some political interference on the job.
Washington Post; 04/24/2008
Colorado governor puts pieces of Climate Action Plan into play
Gov. Bill Ritter celebrated Earth Day by ordering the state Department of Public Health and Environment to come up with rules for factories and power plants to measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions and the Public Utilities Commission to create similar rules for power plants.
Denver Post; 04/23/2008
Environmental groups weigh in on U.S. Senate races in N.M., Colorado
A coalition of environmental groups announced Thursday that they would work to get Democrat U.S. Rep. Tom Udall of New Mexico elected to the open U.S. Senate seat in that state, as well as supporting U.S. Rep. Mark Udall's race for the U.S. Senate in Colorado.
Santa Fe New Mexican; 04/25/2008
Spellings submits series of changes to No Child Left Behind law
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings used her executive powers to propose a series of changes to the federal No Child Left Behind law that included a requirement that all states use the same formula to determine high school graduation rates by the 2012-13 school year.
New York Times; 04/23/2008
'Green' measures don't get much traction in Arizona Legislature
In keeping with past protocol, legislation dealing with environmental issues have again received short shrift in the Arizona Legislature. An analysis.
Arizona Republic; 04/22/2008
Arizona Senate sends immigration measure to governor for action
Legislation that would require Arizona city and county law-enforcement agencies to shoulder federal immigration policy responsibilities passed in the state Senate and is now headed to Gov. Janet Napolitano's desk for action.
Arizona Republic; 04/22/2008
Arizona lawmakers send school-takeover bill to governor
Legislation that would allow the Arizona Department of Education to assume control of districts in which at least half of the schools are underperforming and at least one school is failing to make the grade on state tests is now on Gov. Janet Napolitano's desk awaiting action.
Arizona Republic; 04/25/2008
Colorado governor promotes plan to raise energy taxes to fund education
Energy industry officials and even one Colorado university president expressed concerns about a ballot initiative in Colorado that would raise taxes on energy operations and use much of the revenue from those taxes to fund a college scholarship program.
Denver Post; 04/25/2008
Energy pit regulation issue dead in the water in Colorado
On Saturday, Colorado Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff declared legislation designed to regulate wastewater pits used by the energy industry dead, at least for this legislative session.
Grand Junction Sentinel; 04/20/2008
Gold mining at highest level in decades in Colorado
The price of gold hit an all-time high last month of $1,003 an ounce, breathing new life into the gold mining industry in Colorado, where there are at least five mines open or preparing to open.
Denver Post; 04/24/2008
Airlines cite rising fuel costs for steep 1st quarter losses
UAL, the parent company of United Airlines, posted a $537 million loss for the first quarter of 2008; AMR, American Airlines' parent, posted a $328-million loss, and Continental Airlines posted a $80-million loss for the quarter as well.
New York Times; 04/23/2008
Delta, Northwest's combined loss on fuel equals $10.5B
Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported its first-quarter losses widened to $6.39 billion, and Northwest Airlines, which will soon be acquired by Delta, reported a first-quarter loss of $4.1 billion.
Denver Rocky Mountain News (AP); 04/23/2008
Company wins Wyoming coal lease on second bid
Cordero Mining Co., a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Energy America, more than doubled its bid offered in October for the 2,900-acre South Maysdorf coal tract located in Wyoming's Campbell County to win the lease with a $250.8 million bid, paying 87 cents per ton.
Casper Star-Tribune; 04/23/2008
Cabela's revives plan to build store in Montana
After a three-month hiatus, construction is again under way on a new Cabela's store in Billings, with plans to open the Montana store in 2009.
Billings Gazette; 04/25/2008
Idaho farmers say potatoes can help feed the world's hungry
Idaho potato producers said the tuber's ability to grow in any climate, need for little water and quick maturation date makes the potato a perfect solution for the food crisis sweeping across the globe.
Idaho Statesman; 04/25/2008
New EPA air-pollution limits would snag 350 counties in the nation
Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new limit for ozone of 75 parts per billion, the number of counties across the nation that violate the limit would jump from 85 today to 350, according to the most recent data, and the number of counties with federal wilderness areas that would violate the new standard would be 46.
USA Today; 04/22/2008
Scientists issue a call to arms over border fence's impact on species
The Bush administration's waiver of more than 30 environmental and federal land management laws to clear the way for 360 miles of fence along the United States' border with Mexico puts the last remaining 70 Sonoran pronghorns in Arizona's Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge at risk, as well other rare species such as jaguars, ocelots and long-nose bats, and researchers are considering acts of civil disobedience to stop the fence's construction.
Washington Post; 04/20/2008
Experts: Bush administration's spotted owl plan 'deeply flawed'
A panel of nine experts put together by the Sustainable Ecosystems Institute in Oregon issued a 150-page review of the Bush administration's proposed recovery plan for the spotted owl that said the plan underestimates the threat reducing old growth forests presents to the species.
Seattle Times (AP); 04/22/2008
Homeland Security scraps $20 million virtual fence on Ariz.-Mexico border
The virtual fence prototype built by Boeing along a 28-mile stretch of Arizona's border with Mexico will be redesigned with input from border agents.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (AP); 04/23/2008
Race is on to lock up locations for wind projects in Montana
Wind developers from Spain to Germany, Texas to Florida, and even some from Montana are scurrying across the Big Sky state courting landowners to secure the best sites for wind projects.
Great Falls Tribune; 04/21/2008
Spanish company building Montana's largest wind farm
NaturEner USA, whose global headquarters are in Spain, is building what will be Montana's largest wind farm in the northcentral portion of the state, with 140 265-foot wind turbines that will eventually produce 210 megawatts of power.
Great Falls Tribune; 04/21/2008
Washington-based company helps tribes harness wind energy
Seattle-based Native Green Energy was formed to help tribes build wind farms on reservations by providing them with low-cost turbines and helping with the installation.
Indian Country Today; 04/21/2008
Wind-energy developers come calling on Hutterite colonies in Montana
Montana's Hutterite colonies are among the state's largest landowners, with the colonies' large expanses of land attractive to wind developers.
Great Falls Tribune; 04/21/2008
Politics, turf battles muddle efforts to integrate wind power into Montana grid
As more wind farms are poised to go online in Montana, the Public Service Commission is working on a formula to integrate the power produced by those wind farms into the power grid, but determining the costs of integration and who should pay those costs is mired in politics and energy-interest power struggles. An analysis.
Missoulian; 04/21/2008
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